Bed-pan cushion.



A. R. LQGAN & M. A. L. BARRELLE.

BED PAN CUSHION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1914.

' 1,163,885. Patnted D0014, 1915.

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AMANDA R. LOGAN AND MARIE AIL. BARRELLE, 0F CHELMSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BED-PAN CUSHION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgntgfl Deg 14L, 1915,

Application filed September 15, 1914-. Serial No. 861,832.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that We, AMANnA R. LOGAN fillClLLXRIE A. L. BARRELLE, citizens of the United States, residing at Chelmsford, 1n the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements 1n Bed-Pan Cushions, of-

which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates. to surgical appliances and more particularly to an improved cushion for application to a bed pan for the purpose of rendering the pan more comfortable to the user.

It is one aim of the invention to provide a cushion of the class mentioned so constructed that it may be readily applied to and removed from any ordinary type of bed pan and will when in place be so located as to afford a yieldable and comfortable support for the small ofthe back of the person using the pan and will serve not only the purpose of a cushion but also to prevent the patients back coming in contact With the cold surface of the pan;

- Another aim of the invention is to so connect the attaching devices with the cushion that they will not be liable to become torn loose, although the walls of the cushion will not be liable to become ruptured at the points of connection of the said attaching devices. 7

The invention also aims to so arrange the attaching devices for the cushion that they will not be liable to come in contact with the body of the patient and will consequently cause no inconvenience in the use of the device. Incidently the invention aims to so construct the attaching devices that they will be adapted to securely anchor the cushion to the pan and in such manner that the cushion will not be liable to become displaced. I

The invention aims further to so construct the cushion that same may be inflated with air and to provide means also whereby the cushion may be filled with hot or warm water if so desired so that where a hot application is desirable in the region of the small of the back or where a cold surface would be likely to prove uncomfortable or detrimental to the patients condition, the cushion may serve both the purpose of a cushion and a hot water bottle.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of thedevice embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 1s a snnilar view showing same applied to a bed pan; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the cushion proper in inflated cond tiong Fig. 4 is a detailed front to rear sectional view illustrating one of the attaching devices forthe cushion. V

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

As illustrated in the drawing the cushion proper is substantially fiat and is adapted to be'inflated, and the same comprises a lower wall 1 and an upper wall 2, these walls being formed from suitably shaped sheets of rubber united along their edges by means of a binding strip 3.

In order that the walls of the cushion may be reinforced, strips 4 of rubber are cemented to the inner sides of-the said walls 1 and 2 and extend in a direction from front to rear thereof. In order that the cushion may be inflated an air valve 5 of well-known type is arranged at one forward corner of the cushion as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. As stated, the cushion may be filled with hot or Warm water if desired and in order that this may be accomplished a filling spout 6-is arranged at the other forward corner of the cushion and is closed by means of a removable plug 7 so constructed that when in place in the spout it will close the same in an air-tight manner so that there will be no likelihood of air escaping from the cushion when same is in inflated condition.

In order that the attaching devices for the cushion may be connected therewith in such manner as not to render it likely that the walls of the cushion will be torn or ruptured, due to the connection of these devices with the cushion, and so that the devices will not be liable to come in contact with the body of the patient using the cushion, an attaching sheet 8 of rubber or any other suitable material is dispcsed against the under side or wall 1 and united at its forward and rear edges as at 9 to the corresponding edges of the cushion.

While the sheet is relatively wide and therefore will constitute a firm anchoring medium for the attaching elements which are connected thereto, it is preferable that it be cut away at its side edges and adjacent its middle as indicated at 10, so that it will not materially add to the weight of the cushion and will A yet eli'ectually serve its purpose.

The member 8 is referred to above as a sheet,

is anchored between the plies comprising the sheetS. The portion ll is preferably provided with a number of perforations 12 into which may enter the cement employed for securing this portion between the plies of the sheet '8. p

lhebill of the hook is approximately triangular andis indicated at 13 and itsbiglitportion, or, more specifically, the shank portion which connects the bill and the attachingportion 11, is of anticlastic form it being concaved, from side to side so as to conform to the curvature of the wall of the opening in the bed pan which wall is indicated at 15 and being convexed or curved in a vertical direction also so as to conform to the corresponding curvature of the wall of the opening 15. V

"It will now be. apparent that the hook member above described is to be engaged with the rear-portion of the wall of the opening 15 so as to position the'cushion proper upon the sloping upper portion of the bed pan located rearwardly of the opening and in order that the cushion may be anchored in this position a further attaching 'means is provided which will now be described; 'Oue or more loops 16 are inserted at their ends through the slots formed in the under ply of the sheet 8 and are cemented or otherwise anchored at their ends between the said plies and detachably connected to these loops interchangeably is one end of anattaching strap 17 which is preferably of rubber, although other material may be employed if desired. As stated this end of'the strap is detachably connected with the loops and in order that this may be accomplished the strap at its said end is folded and provided with the members of a snap fastening 18 of any ordinary type. The other end of the strap 17 is connected to the middle bar 19 ofan' adjusting buckle and the strap is looped'upon itself as at 20 and led through Copies of this patent may be obtained for this buckle; I The buckle is well known type as willbeapparent by referencetothe drawing and it will be" understood that by sliding it"along the strap It? ,the length of;

the strap may be varied asnecessary. A hook is-carried by the loop Q Oand is engageable with" the forward side of'the wall of the opening l 5 of the bed pan when the strap has been passed forwardly beneath the pan and up in front of thesame.

From the foregoing descriptionof the: in-

vention it will be seen that there is provided a cushion which may be readily .applied to and removed from any ordinary formfofbed L pan and which embodies attaching devi'ces so connected therewith that, the walls ofthe cushion willinot be liable to become torn by reason of the presenceof such devices and that the devices are adapted to' so anchor the cushionupon thepan that it will not be liable to become displaced. It will furthermore be apparent that the attaching hook at the forward side of the cushion is solocated that it will be concealed beneath the cushion and will not be liable to come in contact with the body of the'patient using the pan.

Having thus'described the invention what is claimedas new is: a

1. A bed pan cushion provided with a relatively broad transversely curved attaching hook adapted for engagement w th the wall of theopening in the bed pan, and

means adapted tobe passed beneath the bed pan and to be engaged With the opposite sides of the said wall of the opening 2. A bed pan cushion provided witha relatively broad attaching hook at the forward side thereof, and a strap connectedto the cushion adjacent the rear side thereof and provided at its end with a hook 3. A bed pan cushion having an attaching sheet secured to its underside, a plurality V of straps secured transversely thereto and formin 100 s and a relativel V lon 'stra five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o f 'l atents, Washington, D. C.- 

